Police and Fire Report: Warrant sought for man in arson case

MAN CHARGED IN ARSON - A Battle Creek man, 22, has been arraigned on arson charges, suspected of starting a fire at the apartment of his girlfriend about 4:11 a.m. Thursday. Investigators from the Battle Creek Police Department and the Battle Creek Fire Department said someone broke a window in a door of the apartment of the man's girlfriend, 21, in the first block of South 22nd Street. Officers said the woman told them she had told the man she was ending their dating relationship. He had come to the house Wednesday evening and they talked but he then was told to leave. A short time later a neighbor saw the man approach the apartment and throw a plastic bottle that hit a window and bounced back before erupting in flames, police said. The man then fled as several people put out the fire in the yard with a rug. Then about 4 a.m. the woman told police she and a man inside the apartment were awakened and found the area near the front door filled with smoke and flames. The two people fled. The fire department extinguished the flames and estimated damage at $500. At 4:56 a.m. the man was seen driving and eventually arrested for fleeing from police after he refused to stop until he reached the apartment. He told police he was going to the apartment because he had heard about the fire. Police said the woman had fled and wasn't located until later in the day Thursday. She told police she was afraid and also was wanted on an unrelated warrant from Emmett Township. She was taken to the county jail. The woman told officers she still loved her former boyfriend and would not testify against him.

MEN ARGUE: A text-message argument over a woman led to a shooting in Leroy Township on Friday. The Michigan State Police from the Coldwater Post said two men were arguing over a woman late Thursday and early Friday via text message. The two lived near each other and met on foot on 2-Mile Road at about 12:30 a.m. Friday and the current boyfriend of the woman drew a pistol and fired four to five rounds at the other man. None of the shots hit the man, troopers said, and no one was hurt. Assisted by the Battle Creek Police Department, troopers traced the suspect to a nearby residence. After a short standoff, the homeowner exited the residence and allowed police to search the home, where they found the suspect barricaded behind a furnace. He was arrested on assault with intent to murder and being a felon in possession of a weapon. The weapon was hidden nearby. Names were not released.

SHOTS FIRED: Battle Creek police said several shots were fired about 6:39 p.m. Thursday and three struck a house in the 200 block of Jordan Street. Officers said no one was hurt and police were not able to find anyone who fired the shots.